The Trickster's Destiny Book 1: Welcome to Hogwarts
by Aqualover5711
Summary: Pre-Thor in which Loki is 11. In hopes that Loki can find a place where he can belong, Odin asks his old friend Dumbledore to give him a place at Hogwarts, where his natural talent for magic will be accepted and where he may even make a few friends. Of course, Loki is the god of mischief and therefore things may not always go so smoothly. Will light or darkness win in the end?
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: I wrote this at 2:00 in the morning so forgive me if this prologue doesn't make much sense. Prophecies are hard to write but I think it turned out okay. Just to clarify, I was going to make it rhyme, but then decided that would be too hard. Some of it is obvious, but all of it will make more sense as the story goes on. Just to be clear, this is completely AU. Loki is 11 (in human years) in this and the Thor timeline coincides with the Harry Potter timeline, starting in Harry's first year at Hogwarts. If I can actually keep myself writing this story, it will eventually be a series. Each part will coincide with one year in Harry Potter, so canon events from each of the seven books will be in this along with my original plot. In this first part, Loki has just discovered his magic abilities and with a little help from our favorite wizard school, he'll grow into them and of course, cause a little mischief and mayhem along the way :P. The wizard world might not be ready for the little god of mischief and his growing trickster powers (similar yet very different from their own), so things should be interesting to say the least. Needless to say, Loki probably won't like being limited by a wand so much *evil chuckle*. I just wanted to write a story where Loki finally finds a place where people accept him for who he is because he needs a place to belong like anyone else (and a chance to get out of Thor's shadow for a bit). This is the random idea I came up with as a result. Although this story is Loki-centric, Dumbledore and Harry will be playing fairly large roles in it as well. Eventually there might be some Loki X Hermione but I'm not sure. I hope you guys enjoy and please send me lots of kind reviews because they'll encourage me to write more. I have to go to bed now, but I already have most of the next chapter planned in my head. I'll write and post it later today or tomorrow (Friday) at the latest. Happy reading! :) **

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Loki and the Harry Potter world but sadly I don't. Loki (and the other Thor characters) belongs to Marvel and the Harry Potter world and its characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I only own my plot and some random non-important characters that populate Hogwarts. **

**Prologue**

A chill wind swept through the ancient Hall of Prophecy. The endless shelves, lined with millions of eerie glass orbs swirling with blue-gray mists containing the whispered words of long dead seers, rattled faintly before settling into total silence once more. One orb shimmered a bit brighter than the others and although no ears were present to hear the secrets it contained, its prediction echoed through the room as all the ghostly voices from each crystal ball joined as one in speaking the words that would change all the realms forever.

_In a golden city above the clouds,_

_Ancient magic awakens from its sleep,_

_The likes of which the Nine Realms have never seen._

_Beyond that of any mortal witch or wizard._

_It lies within a young prince,_

_Ebony locks like a raven's wing,_

_Skin as white as newborn snow, _

_And eyes of emerald fire,_

_Containing a cunning equaled by no other._

_Yet this power has yet to bloom,_

_A magic pure and untouched,_

_Only now beginning to put down its roots._

_Petals unfurl and seek the sun,_

_But can this fragile blossom_

_Survive the coming storm?_

_Beware the seeds of darkness,_

_Nestled in the light of youthful innocence,_

_A soul that wavers in the winds of fate._

_Only with guidance and a gentle hand,_

_Can the path of light be seen._

_But should the power fall into the wrong hands,_

_All worlds will quake as it opens Death's gates,_

_And all life will end when Chaos begins its reign. _


	2. First Meeting

**Chapter 1**

Odin All-Father stood in the circular golden room of the Bifrost, watching the portal blaze to life in a swirl of color and sound. A wizened hand clutched the staff Gungnir firmly, his one good eye unreadable.

With a final burst of light and sound, the Bifrost resumed its dormant state. Odin's guest stood there in his regal splendor, smoothing down his slightly rumpled violet dress robes. He stroked his long silver beard and looked at Odin with bright blue eyes twinkling with wisdom and some curiosity. "Hello Odin old friend. It's been a long time hasn't it?" he said lightly.

"Aye, I daresay it has Albus. I'm sure you'd like to know why I've summoned you to the gates of Asgard." Odin replied solemnly.

Dumbledore's lips twitched into a small smile and he chuckled softly. "Naturally. I was rather surprised when your raven appeared with the message. I'm honored to see even this small glimpse of your kingdom." he commented.

Odin nodded, looking thoughtful. "To business then. Loki, come on out. Respectfully greet our guest, Professor Dumbledore." he commanded gently, looking down expectantly.

Dumbledore watched as a young boy whom he hadn't noticed before now peered out at him cautiously from behind Odin's towering form. After a moment's hesitation, he stepped out further and strode up to him, looking up at him calculatingly. Dressed in a simple forest green tunic and black pants, the boy was thin, with pale skin in stark contrast to his short, neatly combed coal black hair that stubbornly curled a bit at the ends. What caught Dumbledore's attention the most though were his eyes. They were a vivid sparkling emerald like the lush green hills surrounding Hogwarts and shone with a curiosity and intelligence that he hadn't seen in many a year. He could also see the twinkle of mischief in their depths and he couldn't help his growing smile. "Ah, this must be your youngest son that you mentioned in the letter." he stated, crouching down to the timid boy's eye level.

Odin nodded. "Yes, this is Loki Odinson, second prince of Asgard." he introduced before giving Loki a stern look that said he better follow his order to greet their visitor.

Loki frowned slightly at his father before turning to Dumbledore, his expression now calm but reserved. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Professor." he greeted politely.

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled with amusement. "The pleasure is mine Loki." he replied warmly before straightening up and looking at Odin. "So it is my understanding that you wish me to offer your son a place in my school. Am I correct?" he asked.

Loki raised a delicate eyebrow and looked up at his father with slight confusion as Odin mulled over his response. "Yes, that is correct. You see, I believe he'll benefit more from a place where his… talents, will be more readily accepted. A word of warning however, Albus, he needs a firm hand and constant supervision lest he get himself into some form of trouble." he said after a few seconds of silence.

Loki smirked a bit at that. Then his eyes widened as Odin's words sank in, looking both hurt and intrigued. "You're sending me away father?" he asked indignantly. Odin placed a firm hand on his son's thin shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Only for part of the year my son. You see, this school that Professor Dumbledore owns is on Midgard, but it is a place where mortal children who have gifts of magic similar to your own learn how to control them and use them for the good of everyone. I only want what is best for you and I believe this place may be just what you need. When you return to Asgard during their summer season, mere hours will have passed here. You won't miss anything I assure you." he informed him seriously, ignoring the slight disdain in Loki's expression at the mention of Midgard.

Loki cocked his head to the side, deep in thought. Privately he couldn't help thinking to himself that what Odin really meant was that no one would miss him. "I wasn't aware that there were mortals that possessed such gifts. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to get some training from this school." he admitted. His eyes darkened slightly. "It might be the only place where I can freely express my natural talents without being scolded or bringing shame upon the royal family." he muttered bitterly.

Odin's grip tightened, causing Loki to wince slightly. "Don't be that way Loki. You know your mother, Thor and I love you. This place is simply better equipped to handle your particular skill set. The only thing that will bring shame upon our family is your refusal to cooperate." he growled. Loki glared at him for a moment before he nodded and turned to Dumbledore, a mask of calm indifference over his delicate features.

Dumbledore had watched the exchange with a hint of concern in his eyes, but simply gave Loki a reassuring look and offered him his hand. "Come little one. I have much to show you about my world and we have to get you a few things that you'll need for my school. I heard that you're quite close to your older brother. "he stated knowingly as Loki studied his hand for a minute before placing his own slender hand in it. Loki's eyes flashed with mixed emotions at the mention of Thor, but he grudgingly nodded. The raven assigned to watch him, Munin, landed on his shoulder and Loki stroked the bird's head with his free hand, eyeing Dumbledore questioningly. "I have agreed to allow your raven to accompany you so that your father can keep a watchful eye on you and you can use him to send messages back to your family here in Asgard." Dumbledore explained gently. He could tell that being mentor to this budding god would be a unique experience to say the least, but he could sense this boy's potential and had high hopes for him. Perhaps he would even be of valuable help to the other boy he had taken under his wing in the trials that were sure to come.

Loki's lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile as the events of the past few minutes washed over him. He was nervous and disdainful that he would be residing temporarily on Midgard, but mostly he was just excited. He was going to a place where he would be praised for his magic! It was all he had ever hoped for, somewhere where he wouldn't be an outcast or be in the shadow of Thor. He would have such stories to tell to his older brother upon his return. Thor would be jealous of the adventures he would have. He gave his father a curt nod in farewell. "Goodbye father. I'll make you proud of me." he promised.

"Goodbye son. I wish you the best of luck." Odin whispered softly as the portal opened once more and swallowed Dumbledore and his son in a blinding flash of light.

**So what does everyone think? I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't that good, I was just trying to establish Loki and Dumbledore's first meeting and how Loki ends up in the wizard world with him in order to attend Hogwarts. The next chapter is where the story really begins and I'm so excited about writing it! It'll be about Loki getting a tour of Diagon Alley and receiving his wand! There might also be an encounter with a certain other green eyed boy also discovering the magic world for the first time. :) **


	3. Diagon Alley

**Chapter 2**

**FireSenshi2: I was definitely planning on it. We'll see how the story goes :).**

**CH3ff13: Thanks so much for the kind review and the advice! It means a lot to me.**

**Zai: The prophecy is actually very important to the story. I said before the prologue that it would make more sense as the story went on.**

* * *

After arriving on Midgard in a tavern called the Leaky Cauldron, Dumbledore had begun to give Loki the tour of Diagon Alley. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer despite his best efforts to hide it, Loki slowly relaxed and allowed himself to give in to the child-like wonder that had been nagging at the back of his mind since he first stepped foot here. He had a good time looking at all the strange ingredients in the apothecary when Dumbledore lead him inside, saying that he would need some of these things for a class he dubbed 'potions'. He watched intently as some basic potions ingredients and a pewter cauldron were wrapped up and paid for. Dumbledore shrunk the packages with a casual swish of his wand and he put them in a pocket of his cloak. Loki eyed the wand shrewdly and Dumbledore just smiled at him before they headed out. While he was mostly into transfiguration and illusion spells, he had to admit that potion brewing had always intrigued him. It was certainly something worth looking into in any case.

He was wary of trying the Midgardian treat known as ice cream, but when Dumbledore bought him a scoop of the flavor he had picked, chocolate, he was pleasantly surprised at how sweet it was and decided it was something he would have to try to make back in Asgard. He was sure Thor would enjoy it as well. His brow furrowed slightly at the thought of Thor and he quickly pushed aside thoughts of his brother, electing instead to study all the strangely attired people roaming the cobbled street as he finished his desert.

His eyes lit with excitement as they arrived at their next destination: a bookstore called Flourish and Blotts. In only five minutes, it had already become his favorite place in the entire market. Dumbledore watched in amusement as Loki flitted from shelf to shelf, flipping through book after book with rapt interest and then carefully putting them back before running off to look at some more. He allowed the boy some time to satisfy his seemingly endless curiosity before he called him over so they could purchase the books he would need for his first year at Hogwarts. He reluctantly put a book about curses that could be useful in pranking Thor with away. He looked at his list and quickly found the books on it, took some money from Dumbledore and bought the books himself, his piercing gaze slightly unsettling the clerk as she handed him back his purchases.

The next stop was for his uniform at a place called Madam Malkin's. Dumbledore waited outside while he entered the shop. He stood stiffly on the footstool a squat witch told him to stand on as she slipped a long black robe over his head and began pinning it to the right length. She kept smiling at him and tittered on about how he was sure to like Hogwarts. Loki just looked at her like she was a mildly amusing insect and she eventually stopped talking and just finished getting his uniform ready. He came out and gave Dumbledore his best "innocent" look. Dumbledore chuckled softly.

"Alright, all that's left is your wand and then we can retire to the Leaky Cauldron for the evening." Dumbledore said as Loki followed him towards a shabby looking shop. The letters over the door announced it as Ollvanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. Loki looked at Dumbledore dubiously for a moment, still not pleased that he would have to carry around a stick that these mortal witches and wizards had to use to channel their magic. He didn't want to be limited by such a mundane thing. Dumbledore patted his shoulder encouragingly and with a sigh, Loki stepped forward to enter the shop.

Just as he was about to do so however, the door swung open and Loki almost collided with another young boy exiting the shop carrying a long box that Loki assumed held his wand, only managing to avoid the collision by taking a quick step back."Oh, I'm sorry." the boy apologized.

Loki inspected him, noticing that like himself, this boy had black hair and green eyes, but his hair was unruly and he wore glasses. His face was rounder and the look in his eyes was one of simple kindness, although there was intelligence there as well. Loki's eyes briefly flicked to the odd lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead but didn't linger there before returning to meet the other boy's curious gaze.

"I'm Harry Potter." the boy introduced himself, offering his hand in greeting.

Loki shook his hand cautiously. "Loki Odinson." he replied quietly.

Harry smiled and was about to say something else when the hulking figure of Hagrid loomed up behind him. Loki looked up at him, eyes widening just slightly. This man's size was nothing compared to the Frost Giants of Jotunheim, but what surprised Loki was that anyone on Midgard grew to such a size. He thought to himself that this man with the wild black hair and beard must not be purely human. Realizing he was staring he quickly averted his gaze, his pale cheeks flushing slightly.

Hagrid just let out a booming chuckle that reminded Loki once more of Thor. "No need ter be embarrassed. I get stares all the time. Me name's Hagrid." he said warmly, enthusiastically clapping Loki on the shoulder, causing him to stumble a bit.

Loki pushed down his annoyance and calmly brushed himself off as the huge man Hagrid turned to Dumbledore. "I see you've taken a special interest in another student eh Professor?" he commented.

Dumbledore laughed lightly. "Yes, this boy's circumstances are a bit unique, just like Harry's here." he replied simply. His eyes twinkled with something akin to pride as he looked down at Harry. "Ah, Harry, it's good to finally see you again after all these years." he said.

Harry looked at him with obvious awe and Loki frowned slightly, suddenly feeling a bit ignored, a feeling he had hoped he wouldn't have to feel now that he was away from home. "Professor, if it's alright with you, may I go and get my wand now?" he asked politely, but with a slight hint of impatience.

Dumbledore nodded, a kind, patient look in his blue eyes. "Yes Loki you may. I'll be waiting out here. Afterwards we can all have dinner together at the Leaky Cauldron. How does that sound?" he suggested.

Loki looked at Harry as the other boy nodded happily at Dumbledore's idea. Loki couldn't help but smile a bit as well. Perhaps he could finally have a friend in this boy Harry.

Dumbledore and Hagrid exchanged meaningful looks, having the same idea. They both hoped that their two young charges would befriend one another and not feel so alone anymore.

Loki braced himself and walked into the wand shop, wanting to get this over with. He would humor Dumbledore and get one of these sticks, but he knew he wouldn't use it any more than he had to in order to maintain his cover as one of these mortal wizards.

A tinkling bell announced his entrance and Loki looked at the rows upon rows of boxes lining the back wall. He raised an eyebrow in faint interest as the boxes began to quiver slightly, like they were somehow reacting to his presence in the shop.

An old man that Loki assumed was Ollivander appeared from the back, studying Loki with piercing silvery blue eyes, a gaze which Loki met unflinchingly with his own emerald one. The man's lips twitched at the corners as he hummed softly to himself and pressed the tips of his fingers together. He looked from the wand boxes to Loki and 'hmmed' a bit.

Loki had to suppress the urge to roll his eyes.

"Ah, I haven't seen someone with as strong a magical aura as yours in a long time, especially in one so young. The wands can sense it too. This reaction is most unusual. It's like they're being drawn to the magic energy you're giving off, like moths to a flame. Most curious indeed. Let's get your measurements and I'll find a good wand for you to test out." he said thoughtfully.

He turned and began scanning the rows of boxes as a silver tape measure began to take measurements of every part of him while Loki eyed it suspiciously.

Soon the annoying device dropped to floor and Olivander returned to the counter, holding out a wand for Loki to take. "Rowan and unicorn hair, 12 and ¾ inches, slightly springy. Go on, give it a wave." he ordered.

Loki took the wand without a word and gave it a lazy flick. The reaction was something neither of them had expected. The whole wand burst into bright golden flames and Loki quickly dropped it onto the counter. Soon nothing was left but ashes.

Ollivander pursed his lips. "No I daresay that wasn't right." he muttered. He scrutinized Loki once more, causing him to fidget slightly, beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable. "Such raw magic could be dangerous if not channeled properly." he said, more to himself though than to Loki.

Loki heard him however and cocked his head to the side, smirking a bit. Ollivander waved his wand to get rid of the ashes and then handed Loki another wand. "Willow and phoenix feather, 11 and half inches, flexible. Try not to burn this one to ashes please." he said casually.

Loki gave this one a slightly more cautious wave and it shot from his hand and stabbed into the back wall. "Nope, that's not it either. At least this one is undamaged." he murmured.

Loki tried wand after wand, some having rather extreme reactions, but none of them were the proper fit. He was beginning to wonder if it was because he wasn't really a wizard, but Olivander seemed to be getting more excited the more wands Loki tried.

"I do love a good challenge." he exclaimed. He disappeared for a few minutes and then returned, placing a box reverently down on the counter. "This is my most recently made wand. Oddly enough it's shied away from even being held by anyone that I've offered it too. I thought it was most peculiar behavior but perhaps it knew that its proper owner had yet to arrive. I always say the wand chooses the wizard and I think this one may have become attached to you without us even realizing it." he informed him, looking rather eager to test his theory.

He pulled out a wand that was a deep golden brown in color that darkened almost to black at the handle. "Sequoia and dragon heartstring, 14 inches, firm but swishy. Very rare combination and excellent for transfiguration and charm work." he said in a hushed, hopeful whisper as he held it out to Loki.

Loki reached out with slender fingers and grasped the wand's handle. Olivander's eyes sparkled happily as Loki took it from him, almost grinning at the fact that the wand was allowing this boy to hold it. Loki immediately felt a surge of warmth from the wand and suddenly a golden glow erupted from its tip, enveloping him in gold light mixed with swirls of emerald green.

Although he knew he didn't need a wand to practice his sorcery, he couldn't help but feel a bit of fascination towards the object. There was obviously a strong connection between him and the wand, so it would be rather interesting to explore its capabilities, like a challenging puzzle waiting to be solved. He had toyed with similar magic artifacts back home and had always quite enjoyed it.

"Yes, yes, that's it! Well done! So much potential…" Ollivander said, once again mostly to himself.

Loki couldn't help but flash him a brilliant grin at the compliment. "More than you know." he replied cheekily.

Olivander eyed the strange boy as he took the wand and put it carefully in its box, before handing the box back to its new owner. Loki payed him what he owed and turned on his heel to leave the shop.

Olivander just shook his head. He had known from the moment he had first laid eyes on the boy that he was different from the rest of them. He had powerful magic, oh yes, there was no denying that, but it was unique to him and although similar in some ways, it was very different from that of all the other young witches and wizards that had ever entered his shop. He had sensed immediately that unlike most wands, which were necessary tools for channeling otherwise unreliable and unusable magic energy, this boy's wand was destined to focus and amplify the innate magical abilities this boy already possessed, wand or not. He wasn't quite sure what all of this meant, but he just hoped that whoever this mysterious child was, the magical world would be ready for him.

**Ooh boy, that was a long chapter! I enjoyed writing it a lot though. I hope you guys like it. I'm never really sure if the chapters I write turn out as good as I hoped they would. Well, if you guys still like it, then please review. The next chapter will have some Loki X Harry potential friendship stuff and I'm thinking of some mischief that Loki can get up to in Diagon Alley, for a slight change of pace and because I just really want to cause some trouble :P. Then it'll be on to the Hogwarts Express in the chapter after that, where Loki will meet some of the other HP characters. I think I'm going to have him prank Malfoy too heh heh…**


	4. Feeling Like Himself Again

**Chapter 3**

Loki sat at the table in the Leaky Cauldron, twirling his new wand in his nimble fingers idly. While Harry, Dumbledore, and Hagrid, who were also at the table, were talking about Harry and other things Loki didn't care much about, Loki was looking around at the other people in the pub.

They had already finished their dinner, which had been much too measly compared to what Loki was used to back in Asgard. He kept his complaints to himself however. He had to admit he appreciated their efforts to make him feel as if he belonged somewhere, although he couldn't help but feel that he never would.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when Dumbledore stood and excused himself, saying that he had business he had to attend to elsewhere. "Loki, I'm leaving you in the care of Hagrid for now alright? He will make sure that you and Harry both get onto the train to school safely." he said reassuringly. He patted him on the shoulder, silently conveying that he would be seeing him again soon, at Hogwarts.

Loki shrugged and gave him a nod in farewell, completely used to being shoved off onto others by his father when Odin had grown tired of watching over him. Harry smiled at him and Loki just stared back.

Hagrid rubbed his hands together. "Well, tha's that then. Harry, Loki, why don't you come and meet your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?" he suggested, gesturing to a young man he had spotted nearby. Loki eyed the man, who was wearing a ridiculous purple turban and seemed to be trembling fearfully.

The two boys stood up and approached the man with Hagrid, Loki staying by Hagrid's side and Harry stepping forward in greeting. "Boys, I'd like you to meet Professor Quirrel." Hagrid said, shaking the Professor's hand eagerly in greeting. Quirrel just smiled tightly.

"Hello." Harry greeted politely, holding out his hand to shake Quirrel's. Loki had noticed that he did that quite often.

"H-H-Harry P-P-Potter. P-pl-pleasure to m-meet y-you." the Professor named Quirrel stuttered out, eyeing Harry's hand but not shaking it.

Loki cocked his head to the side, looking at the man curiously. He found his stutter to be rather irritating, but that wasn't what bothered him most. He could sense the façade this man was using and had the feeling that he normally wasn't a stuttering, cowardly fool. He knew when someone was lying, no matter how good the person was at covering it up. There was something dark about him, something he was hiding. Why had he shaken Hagrid's hand but not Harry's, Loki was wondering. That's when the two made eye contact. In that brief moment, Loki suddenly felt the truth hit him like one of Thor's lightning bolts. Quirrel was possessed by something that was pure evil, something that used to be human but not anymore. What did this all mean though? He couldn't be sure yet, but he was determined now to figure it out. Once he set his mind on something, nothing in the Nine Realms could change it. Loki's vivid green eyes bored into Quirrel's, his gaze questioning.

Quirrel's gaze went distant for just a moment before sharpening once more, the façade gone for just a second before returning. In that second his gaze had been as curious as Loki's own, with a tinge of fear. How could this boy have sensed the truth? Not only he, but his master Voldemort as well, was intrigued by this strange child. Quirrel would have to keep an eye on this one for sure. Voldemort had just told him that he sensed powerful magic in this child that he sounded eager to get his hands on.

The exchange had occurred in mere seconds and Hagrid and Harry were none the wiser. "Yep, and this here is Loki. Dumbledore just picked him up from somewhere I s'pose." he introduced. Loki huffed quietly in annoyance at Hagrid's ignorance, but just gave Quirrel one of his devilish smiles. "I look forward to learning what you have to teach Professor." he commented, his silver-tongued words holding a double meaning. Quirrel's right eye twitched but other than that gave no indication that he picked up on it.

With the introduction done, Quirrel excused himself and Harry and Hagrid went to sit back down at the table. Loki followed after a moment and sat down. Harry and Hagrid began to argue in hushed whispers, Harry wanting to know the truth about his past from what Loki could gather. He listened with interest for a few minutes, catching bits and pieces about Harry's parents having been killed by some powerful dark wizard. Hagrid seemed reluctant to say the name of their murderer but after some prompting by Harry he eventually said that it had been a "man" named Lord Voldemort. Loki stifled a chuckled at the self-appointed title. Well, Lord or not, Loki wasn't concerned about this wizard everyone seemed to fear the most by what Hagrid was saying.

Growing bored by the conversation that he wasn't being included in, his gaze wandered around the dingy room once more. This place really could use some livening up. He hadn't gotten to show his true nature since he got here and he could feel his insatiable need to cause mischief return with a vengeance. He could no longer maintain his own façade of calm indifference to all the events that had occurred. He scoffed at himself for his moment of weakness, trying to stay on Dumbledore's and his father's by extension, good side acting obedient and polite. Who was he kidding though? That wasn't him and now that he had adjusted to his new situation, he could be himself again. He was weary of this game. It was time for a new one.

He waited for Harry to be done with his conversation with Hagrid before speaking. When Hagrid went to go get another drink from the bar was when he made his move. His eyes gleamed with mischievous intentions and he grinned impishly. "Hey Harry, want to see something cool?" he asked.

Harry looked confused but interested. "Sure, why not?" he replied, wondering what his new friend was up to.

Loki searched for his first victim and decided on a group of three raucous men who reminded Loki unpleasantly of the Warrior's Three, who had always tried to convince Thor that Loki wasn't worth his time. He may have just recently began to experiment with his newfound magical abilities, but back on Asgard he had already earned quite the reputation for his pranks and clever tricks. His mind swiftly ran through different ideas before settling on something that caused him to laugh quietly, making Harry raise an eyebrow.

He concentrated and with a slight twitch of his hand that wasn't fiddling with his wand, he cast a spell on the men's drinks. They lifted their large mugs in unison, toasting each other and laughing before tipping them back to take a swig. However, nothing came out. One of them peered into his mug in confusion while the other two started arguing about the other having stolen their drink when they weren't looking. Loki smirked and twitched his fingers again and the man who had been holding his drink upside down to look into the seemingly empty mug was suddenly drenched. He yelped in surprise and shot to his feet, then growled angrily as his two companions snickered at him. He looked around at the now quiet room, looking for the one who had dared use their magic to do such a thing. His eyes snapped to the table that Harry and Loki were at, both of them clutching their stomachs, not able to hold back their laughter. He and his two friends all began to walk towards them menacingly.

Hagrid, who had noticed the disturbance and saw the three burly wizards stalking towards his two young charges, stepped between them. "Now wait a second boys. Yer not gettin' anywhere near these kids." he said seriously.

The drenched man scowled. "One of those brats used magic to make my drink pour all over me." he snarled.

Hagrid snorted. "You think so do you? I'll have you know that these two boys haven't even been to school yet to learn magic. How do you suppose they did that to your drink eh?" he questioned him, unaware that Loki had indeed already been studying magic, back on Asgard of course.

Harry wasn't sure how Loki had done it, especially without even using his wand, but was impressed nonetheless. The prank had been harmless so he found it rather funny. He smiled at Loki and Loki returned the smile with a wide grin of his own, looking happier than Harry had seen him before. Perhaps Loki had just been shy before. He found himself liking him even more now that he was comfortable enough to let his true self show. Harry found the other boy smart and amusing and would be happy to be his friend. The two of them exchanged sly high-fives behind their backs, looking at the angry group of men, putting on their best innocent expressions, Loki's slightly foiled by the wicked smile that was still tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He winked at Harry and then yawned. "Well, if you gentleman don't mind, I'm getting a bit tired. Hagrid, I'm going up to my room for the night alright? Harry, could you please show me the way?" he requested. Harry looked to Hagrid, who nodded his consent, and Harry looked back at Loki. "Yeah, of course. We're sharing a room so if you want we can hang out in there and talk for a bit?" he suggested hopefully. He wouldn't mind getting to know Loki a bit better.

"I would like that." Loki responded, feeling a pleasant jolt of surprise at the fact that had finally found someone who wanted to be his friend and talk to him. With the exception of Thor on occasion, everyone on Asgard usually just ignored him. He wanted to learn more about Harry as well. He and Harry turned to leave, but Loki couldn't help but give one final little show to the people watching the scene all around the pub.

The three men suddenly yelped and began hopping up and down as illusions of insects seemingly scurried from some corner of the room and climbed up their legs. With a resounding crash they all fell to the floor, finding the laces of their boots tied together. Loki turned his back on the startled Hagrid and other occupants of the Leaky cauldron and the furious swearing and threats of the men on the floor, chuckling under his breath as he followed Harry up the narrow staircase to the rooms on the floor above.


	5. Finding a Friend

**Author's Note: So sorry for the long wait! College has been a nightmare. The train ride will actually be next chapter. This chapter is a bunch of Harry X Loki fluff but I hope you like it. As an apology I am going to work really hard on writing the next chapter and getting it up as soon as possible. I can't make any promises but I have high hopes right now. Without further ado, enjoy the chapter!**

**Chapter 4**

Harry and Loki were sitting on Harry's bed in the room they were sharing, learning more about each other and laughing about Loki's antics in the pub. Loki found himself growing closer to Harry the more he listened to his story, surprised at the similarities to his own. Harry confirmed what Loki had overheard about just discovering that his parents had been murdered, told him about growing up with the Dursleys and about how he had been bullied his whole life by Dudley and his gang. Loki could relate to that.

Harry had finished by telling him how his birthday a week ago had been the best day of his life because Hagrid had come and taken him away to the world of magic and then admitted that he wasn't looking forward to returning to the Dursley's again tomorrow afternoon. Loki patted his shoulder. "It will be alright. It will only be a month and then we get to go off to Hogwarts." he reassured him. Harry smiled at him and then his gaze became curious. "So, what can you tell me about yourself? You don't have to tell me anything too personal if you don't want." Harry said shyly.

Loki returned his smile with a small one of his own. "It's alright. You shared some rather personal things with me so I feel I should reciprocate." he replied. He stared at the ceiling thoughtfully for a few moments, deciding what he could tell Harry. He wanted to tell him the truth of course, but he had to be careful not to give the whole truth about himself away. His expression grew somewhat sad as he spoke. "I have an older named Thor and we're very close but… he is often blind to the way his friends constantly bully me due to my small stature and interest in magic. My mother cares about me but I'm not certain at times how my father feels. I try to make him proud, but like Thor, he seems ignorant to my effort. Or at least he pretends to be. I love my family but it is hard. Like yourself, I have been neglected my whole life by both my family and by everyone else back home. I am blamed for every small magical mishap that occurs and no one listens to me when I try to defend myself, believing me incapable of telling the truth. I am always in Thor's shadow as he is praised for being the golden example of what in my home are considered the ideal qualities everyone should aspire to have. I represent all that they abhor. Despite all of this though, Thor and I have had some good times as well so I guess I should be grateful for those moments. Also, I think sending me off to attend Hogwarts was perhaps my father's way of saying he does care about my well-being more than it appears most of the time. This could be a good chance for a fresh start for the both of us." he said finally.

Harry nodded in agreement. He could tell how hard it was for Loki to share those things and it made him sad to see the pain shining in his new friend's eyes as he spoke. Coming into the world of magic and attending Hogwarts seemed to mean something different to him than it did to Harry, but his feelings were clearly just as strong if not more so. He put a comforting hand on Loki's thin shoulder. "That's true and I think we both need it. It isn't good to dwell on the negatives in our lives. We should be glad that we were lucky enough to get to practice magic and now we have each other. Neither of us had friends before but now we do." he said happily.

Loki looked up at him and saw the sincerity in his gaze. Surprise flickered briefly across his features. He had a friend… so it was possible. No one back home except perhaps Thor would believe him, but that hardly mattered. He felt a bit of warmth inside him as he realized he wasn't quite so alone anymore. He turned away, uncomfortable with expressing his feelings so openly. He gave Harry a grateful smile, then got up and walked over to his bed, where Munin was perched on the headrest. He stroked the raven's feathers before the bird squawked and flew out the window, probably to keep watch outside.

"Why do you have a pet raven?" Harry asked curiously.

"Munin is actually my father's. He isn't an ordinary bird. My father lent him to me to watch over me in his place. Despite their faults, I'm certain my parents don't want anything happening to me. He can also deliver messages to my family back home, much like an owl. Dumbledore knows of this and has agreed to allow Munin to accompany me. He says it will be good for me to have something to maintain my connection to my home. Some kids wish to start over completely at Hogwarts, but I do not wish to sever ties to my family all together. I only desire to get away from it all for a while." Loki explained.

Harry considered this thoughtfully as Loki stood gracefully from his bed. He walked up to Hedwig's cage that was open, but the beautiful snowy owl was still perched within, not having left on her nightly hunt yet. He looked her in the eyes and something seemed to pass between them. He reached out a hand and gently stroked the soft white feathers on her neck with his long nimble fingers. She allowed the touch and even gave a small hoot of pleasure. Harry grinned. "She likes you." he commented.

Loki smiled. "I have always had a certain way with animals. It is about showing them the proper respect, especially to one as intelligent as Hedwig. Just like with Munin, she is no average owl." he replied with a hint of reverence in his voice. He inclined his head slightly in a respectful goodbye to Hedwig as he withdrew his hand and strolled back to his bed. Not many knew of it, but Loki had always been able to communicate with animals, a lot of times even better than people. It wasn't exactly like talking to another person, for it wasn't simple words that passed between them, but an exchange of both words and feelings. He knew that although Harry had just gotten her earlier today, Hedwig already cared deeply for him. It was good to see that his new friend had such a loyal companion.

"That's cool. I learned recently that I can talk to snakes, though I'm not sure why yet." Harry confided.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, that is interesting. When you feel the time is right, perhaps you can ask Professor Dumbledore about it. He seems to have the answers to a lot of things to do with the magic world." he suggested.

"Yeah, I'll probably do that." Harry replied, before yawning widely. "I think we should probably get to bed now. It's getting late." he said.

Loki shrugged. "Alright. I am a bit tired as well." he agreed. The two boys got themselves ready for bed and then slipped under their covers after turning out the light. He turned over to look over at Harry's bed and saw the other boy had already fallen into a deep sleep. His eyes twinkled in amusement and he felt happier than he had in some time. He had never expected that he would ever like anything about Midgard, but this day had exceeded his highest expectations, which admittedly hadn't been very high. He mused once more about the wonder of finding a friend here of all places before his eyes fluttered shut and he fell into a dreamless sleep as well.

A little while later, Hagrid came up the stairs and peered into their room to check on his two young charges. He smiled warmly as he saw that they were asleep, the expressions on their youthful faces so peaceful with the burden of the world lifted from their small shoulders, even if it was only for a little while.

**For those of you who remained loyal despite the wait and for those who are new to this story, I hope you guys liked this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please review if you wish for the next chapter to come soon, because positive reviews are really encouraging to us writers. Until next time everyone!**


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